Art of slaughtering animals



July 7, 1925.

T.l MacRAE ART 0F SLAUGHTERING ANIMALS Filed May 8, 1923 PatentedpJuly 7, 1925. s l s v p y UNITED STATES PATENTQOFFICE.

Application led May 8, 1923. 4Serial No. 637,486.

slaughter is eliminated through instantaneous unconsciousness and death.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS MACRAE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Florence, in the county of Pinal and State of Arizona, vhave discovered and invented new and useful Improvements in the Art of slaughtering Animals, of which the following is a specification.

An object of this discovery and invention is to slaughter animals for food or other purpose painlessly, and with minimum appearance of violence.

forcefully producing a contusion with comminuted fracture of the bony structure of the head, or head and neck, of the animal and immediately thereafter spearing the vital part, as the brain, medulla, or spinal cord, through such contusion.

An object is to minimize the brutalizing influences of slaughtering.

This invention is broadly new, basic, and

pioneer, in that I provide a slaughtering dethe interposing bony layers and thus through v concussion produces deep unconsciousness, and then drives through the unbroken integument and the fractured bony structure an instrument which destroys brainy substance and vital centers.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cheap, safe, simple, and effective slaughtering instrument adapted to slaughter cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, goats, calves, and the like in a humane, rapid, and efficient manner.

An object is to make it to the financial "advantage of slaughter house owners to humanize their industry.

An object is`to strike, inechamcally, a

I heavier killing blow than is possible for the strongest man who uses the ordinary slaughtering hammer.

An object is" to make provision whereby suffering and struggle of the animal 1n I have discovered Vthat this object may be attained by first An object is to make provision whereby strong skilled killers as now necessary may be eliminated; unskilled men with this apparatus may slaughter humanely, rapidly, and eiiiciently. l,

An object is to reduce the number of killers in large abattoirs, this apparatus enabling one man to do the work of several thus reducing expense. y

An object 1s to avoid the use of auxiliary apparatus or means or additional labor; and a further object is to avoid changing present abattoir installations further than exchanging the ordinary killing hammer for this instrument.

I do not limit the invention to the exact construction shown; nor to the character of the operatingmedium, as the device may be operable with air, gas, steam, water, or other suitable power a plying medium.

The present best use 1s operation by meansl of air under pressure; and my device is shown herein in drawings and description as so operated.

An object of the invention is to insure the `delivery of the destructive blow immediately upon applying the slaughtering instrument to the spot upon which the blow is to be given, and .the invention is broadly new, basic and pioneer in that I provide in combination with a power driven hammer a detent to retain the hammer in retracted position, and means applicable to the spot upon which the blow is to be delivered and arranged to cause the detent to release the hammer when the instrument is applied to said spot, thus guarding against failure in case the animal suddenly moves his head.

Other objects, advantages, and` features, of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description, and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention as it may be applied in two different ways.

A gure 1 is a side elevation of the invention with hollow handle attached to middle section, air hose attached to handle.

Figure 2 is a side .elevation of the invention with hollow handle attached to end section, air hose attached to handle.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal mid-sectional view'showing apparatus in loaded or ready position.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal mid-sectional view on a plane at right angles to that of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view of apparatus in plane of 5".

The hammer holder or cylinder 1 is provided with threaded hollow bosses 2, 3, each adapted to receive one end of hollow handle 4, the hollow boss not receiving handle is closed -With screw cap not shown; hollow bosses 2, 3, connected by by-pass 20, hollow handle 4 attached at opposite end to hose for compressed air.

Within said cylinder 1 and adapted to slidingly operate therein is piston sledge hammer 6: piston Sledge hammer 6 has a larger upper portion or body adapted to slidingly operate in cylinder 1, and a lower portion of smaller diameter, the neck, adapted to slidingly fit and operate in the lower external opening of cylinder 1 through trigger 8; body and neck comprise one part and are preferably made in one piece, the body acts as a piston, the neck as the extrusable striker end, the encircling collarlike opening in cylinder 1 is fitted closely to the slidable operating neck, as is also the annular, normally extended, retractable, plunger carried by the cylinder and adapted to allow the` piston Sledge hammer 6 to be protruded therethrough and also operating as a trigger 8, so that air leak is prevented: piston sledge hammer 6 is held in position of loaded or ready against air pressure by set springs forming sledge hammer remaining detents 7 which in turn are adapted to be thrown or released by up movement of upwardly extending prongs 32 of trigger 8. If set springs 7 are replaced by rod or bar, hinged, with separate spring actuation, the throw or release movement is similar.

Within said cylinder 1 and adapted to slidingly operate therein is piston 9: Piston ,9 has attached to it as a component part,

a shaft 13 with its spear prolongation, bolt or knife 10; shaft 13 and spear 10 adapted to slidingly operate through channel 11 in piston Sledge hammer 6. Shaft 13 of piston 9 may be elongated as desired and the part to be extruded may have any one of various forms or combinations thereof, shaft 13 in cross section may be of any desired shape, as round or square, and the extrusable part may be smooth, rough, barbed, sawtoothed, or the like, and as bolt, knife, or the like. Helical spring 12 is inserted encn'elingly about shaft 13 between piston 9 and piston sledge hammer 6. Upper portion of shaft 13 of piston 9 is grooved at 14 to receive ends of release spring bolts 15, each release 'spring bolt 15 being slotted at 16 to receive trigger prong members 17 of trigger 8, release spring bolts 15 held against shaft 13 by springs 18.

Slide valve 19 exactly limited in excursion is provided with intake ports a., and a', and exhaust ports b, and b', held in proper relation to ports in cylinder 1, slide valve 19 is slotted at c, said slot c slidingly operates with and opens in its entire excursion into air inlet hollow boss 2 (thence via by-pass 20 into hollow boss 3). Slide valve 19 is provided with lugs 21, 22, between which and operating slldingly longitudinally in longitudinal slot through wall of cylinder 1 is lug 23 attached immovably to piston sledge hammer 6.

A small one-way automatic air valvel 30 opens from lower air chamber 27 through channel in piston Sledge hammer 6 into air chamber 28, permitting air under pressure to enter chamber 28" but not permitting it to escape thereby.

Trigger 8 is fitted in outer end of cylinder 1, it is slidingly movable in and out with short excursion and is held in out position by means of spring 26; in addition to this movement it may be slightly turned in its position, clock-wise, when desired, trigger 8 has two Vpairs of upwardly extending prongs or arms, a longer pair 32, and a shorter pair 17.

A safety lock device 31, consists of a lug attached to a spring; the spring is rotatably attached to the external surface of wall of cylinder 1, the lug may be inserted through leak port 25 to seat in a blind hole of similar size and shape in piston sledge hammer 6, said blind hole being in juxtaposition to leak port 25 when apparatus is in loaded or ready position.

In practice, with the proper actuating medium, as air under pressure, furnished through hose 5, thence through hollow handle 4, through inlet 2, or 3, (that inlet selected and handle 4 attached thereto which gives most convenient mode of striking) compressed air entering air chamber 29, the tip of the trigger 8 of the instrument is lightly tapped or pressed against spot where death blow is wished, this tap or light blow presses trigger 8 slidingly inward in cylinder 1, the prongs 32 of trigger 8 moving upward push outwardly set-springs 7 thus releasing set-springs 7 into channels 24 cut in piston Sledge hammer 6, thereby releasing said piston Sledge hammer 6 which is held immovably to shaft 13 of piston 9 by release spring-bolts 15. Trigger 8 resets to previous position actuated by springs 26. Piston 9 carrying with it piston Sledge hammer 6 is now driven downwardly by compressedA air entering intake port a into chamber 29, the outer end of neck of 6 is forcibly extruded beyond end of cylinder 1 thus delivering its impact blow. The force of this blow is proportionalto area of upper surface of piston 9.

When a certain predetermined fraction of the outward excursion of 6 is completed the angular enlargements of trigger prongs 17 enter slots 16 in slide bolts 15 andA withdraw said release slide bolts from groove 14 in shaft 13 releasing piston 9 with its shaft and bolt or knife which then is driven forwardly and outwardly through passage 11 until out motion of piston 9 is stopped by juncture with piston sledge hammer 6. Shaft 13 with bolt or knife 10 is of such` lengtlr that bolt'or knife 10 is extruded beyondtip of extruded neck of hammer 6, the force of this blow, also being proportional to area of upper surface of piston 9. Leak port is so placed that it.- is uncovered by outwardly moving hammer 6 at same time that piston 9 is released thereby venting spacek 28 between portion 9 and hammer 6.

At or near external limit of excursion of hammer 6 its lug 23' strikes lug 22 on 'slide valve 19 moving 719 to opposite position thereby closing intake port a, opening intake port a', closing exhaust port b', and opening exhaust port b, air under pressure t then enters through intake port a', and

drives piston sledge hammer 6 back toward closed or upper end of cylinder 1, piston 9. is forced by air entering through automatic one-way valve 30 and by spring l2 tov its original position, extended in relation to 6, when release spring bolts 15 again engage groove 14 in 'shaft 13, leak port 25 being closed by slight up movement of piston 'sledge hammer 6 and remaining closed until again opened by out movement of 6, as piston sledge hammer 6 moves toward upper or closed` end of cylinder 1, the lug 23 on 6 strikes air valve lug 21 moving air valve 19 to opposite position thus opening intake port a, and closing intake port closing exhaust port b, and opening exhaust port b. The air pressure now enters chamber v29 thereby starting piston 9 and piston sledge hammer 6 again downwardly and outwardly, piston sledge hammer 6 impinges on set springs 7 which then hold 9 and 6 against the air pressure until 9 and 6 are again released by the in movement of trigger 8.

If instrument is to be used as automatic sledge hammer only without use of spear a small fractional clock-wise turn of trigger 8 moves trigger prongs 17 to one side of slotted release bolts 15 so that prongs 17 do not engage slots 16 in said bolts, piston 9 will now not be released from its position in relation to piston sledge hammer 6 and instrument functions as v-automatic sledge hammer only, trigger prongs 32'are of such width that the small fractional clock-wisel turn of trigger 8 does not remove them from proper contact with set-springs 7.

When not in use the instrument may be locked in the ready or loaded position by the lug on the spring 31 which then may enter leak port 25 and seat in a blind hole of similar size and shape in piston sledge hammer 6, the spring lug 31 is rotatably attached to outer face of cylinder 1, it is rotated out of lock position as wished.

In practice choice of several methods of slaughter is permitted; for example,-

1. Using this invention equipped with spear pointed knife, 10 in Fig. 3, the tip of the instrument is placed on back of neck of animal to be killed at juncture of vertebrae and skull with a slight push or press which releases piston sledge hammer 6 which then forced by the expanding air pressure in 'chamber 29 drives outwardly with great force, the tip of the extruding neck of 6 strikes the animal with force crushing the bony structures andthrough concussion causes deep unconsciousness, then the heavy spear pointed knife by the release of piston 9 and shaft 13 is similarly forcefully driven down through the unbroken integument and through the comminuted bony fracture to and through spinal cord and medulla thereby destroying the vital centers and causing instantaneous painless death.

-2. This instrument equipped with bolt, 10 in Fig. 3, is, similarly, lightly tapped in center of forehead of animal to be killed, here, again, the tip of neck of piston sledge hammer 6 crushes'through the protecting bony structure producing a comminuted bone fracture through which fracture the bolt 10 in Fig.. 3 is driven into and destroys brain substance to any required depth, instantaneous painless death results.

3. The instrument may be used as piston sledge hammer alone, Without spear, knife, or bolt, t0 fracture and comminute the bony structures, .thus producing deepunconsciousness and in many instances instantaneous death.

In eaclr instance and use the instrument automatically quickly resets ready for next animal, the operator has nothing to do but to place tip of instrument with slight pressure or tap on the spot where blow is wanted, and irrespective of the strength of the operator the same heavy blow is each time delivered.

I claim:

1. In devices of this character, the combination with a piston sledge hammer with extrusable neck of a chamber in which the piston sledge hammer slidably operates, means to apply actuating medium to the sledge hammer to strike a blow with the lsledge hammer; a detent to hold the.sledge hammer retracted, and a movable valve for control of the actuating medium.

- 2. In devices of this character, the combination of a chamber in which slidably operates .a piston sledge hammer with extrusable neck and tip, the same being adapted to be operated by actuating medium vto cause the hammer to strike a blow; hammer retracting means, a movable valve for control of the actuating medium, and sledge hammer restraining means operable by pressure against the object to be struck to release said Sledge hammer.

3. An automatically operated slaughtering device comprising the combination in a chamber of a piston Sledge hammer with extrusable neck operating therein, a movable valve and a trigger normally extending beyond the retracted Sledge hammer and adapted and arranged to cause a blow to be ystruck when the trigger is pressed against the object to be struck.

4. A device of this character comprising the combination of a chamber, a piston Sledge hammer with extrusable tip operating therein, a movable valve, a trigger for control of said piston Sledge hammer, and a piston with Shaft operating within said cylinder and through the extrusable tip.

5. A slaughtering device comprising a chamber, a sledge hammer with extrusable tip operating therein, a movable valve, a trigger control for said sledge hammer, and a piston with shaft with extrusable tip operating within said chamber.

6. A slaughtering device comprising the combination of a chamber, a'sledge hammer with extrusable tip operating therein, a movable valve, a trigger control for said Sledge hammer, a piston with shaft with 7 eXtrusable tip operating within said chamber, and a trigger control for said piston.

7. A slaughtering device comprising the combination of a chamber, a Sledge hammer with eXtrusable tip operating therein, trigger control of said hammer, a movable valve, a piston with shaft with extrusable tip, said shaft adapted to slidably operate through said hammer, and a trigger for control of said piston and shaft.

8. In a slaughtering device the combination with a hammer of a spear adapted to be operated througlfthe lrammer to pierce a contusion produced by the hammer, and means to automatically operate the hammer and spear.

9. In a slaughtering device the combination of a chamber, a hammer operating therein, and a spear operating in said chamber adapted to pierce a contusion produced by the hammer, and automaticmeans to operate the hammer and spear.

10. In devices of this character the combination of a chamber, a hammer operating therein, a spear adapted to be operated with the hammer to pierce a contusion produced by the hammer; means to normally restrain the hammer and spear, and means operable by pressure upon the object vto be pierced to cause hammer and spear to strike successively.

11. A slaughtering device comprising the combination of a chamber, a hammer with extrusable tipy operating therein, trigger control of said hammer, a movable valve, a piston with extrusable shaft tip, trigger control of said piston, and shaft, said trigger control comprising means to prevent action of extrusable shaft tip at will of loperator. i

12. A slaughtering device comprising the combination of a chamber, a hammei' with extrusable tip, operating therein, trigger control of said hammer, a valve, a piston with extrusable shaft tip, trigger control of said shaft, said trigger control comprising means to cause hammer and shaft to function together.

13. A slaughtering device comprising the combination of a cylinder, a hammer operating therein, a valve, a spear adapted to operate through the hammer to pierce a contusion produced by the hammer, and trigger means for the control of hammer and spear causing instrument to function as spear alone, or as hammer alone, or to cause hammer and spear to strike successively.

14. The method of slaughtering animals set forth which consists in applying a heavy crushing blow, and thereby producing a comminuted fracture of the bony structure of the head of the animal to be slaughtered, and immediately thereafter spearing a vital part through such fracture.

15. The method Cf slaghtering animals set forth which consists in applying a heavy crushing blow, and thereby producing a comminuted fracture ofv the juncture of vertebrae and skull in the animal to be slaughtered, and immediately thereafter spearing a vital part through suoli fracture.

16. A slaughtering instrument comprising a hammer and trigger controlled means for operating the hammer with a single isolated blow; and a trigger therefor, adapted to release said means upon pressure of the trigger against the object that is^to receive the blow.

17. A slaughtering instrument comprising a hammer and trigger controlled means for operating the hammer with a single isolated blow, and a spear with trigger controlled means for operating the spear with a single isolated blow at a predetermined part of the hammer blow.

18. A slaughtering instrument comprising a hammer holder; a hammer normally restrained relative tothe hammer holder; a normally projecting trigger controlled means for operating the hammer with a single isolated blow, and valve means for resetting the hammer for the next blow.

19. A slaughtering instrument comprising a hammer and trigger controlled means for operating the hammer with a single iso` lated blow, trolled means a single isolated blow p part ofthe hammer blow, and valve means for resetting hammer and spear for next blow.

20. A slaughtering instrument comprising a hammer and trigger controlled means for operating the hammer with a single isolated blow, and aspear with trigger oontrolled means for operating the spear with a single isolated blow at a predetermined part oaf the hammer blow, and valve and spring means for resetting hammer and spear for next blow,

21. A slaughtering instrument compris-- ing a hammer and trigger controlled means for operating the-hammer with a single isolated blow, and ai spear with trigger controlled means for operating the spear with a single isolated blow at a predetermined part of the hammer blow, and valve and spring means for resetting hammer, spear, and triggers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 2nd day of May, 1923.

' THOMAS MACRAE.

Witness:

ELLEN GATE. 

